Reasons for Everything
by Bliss Jones
Summary: Angel and the Host discuss Fred.


Disclaimers: "Angel" and all its characters belong to Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox, David Greenwalt Productions, Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar Television, etc. No coyright infringement intended. I'm only paying homage.  
  
Spoilers: every episode Fred's been in, most importantly "Belonging" and   
"That Old Gang of Mine"  
  
Takes place: a few days after "That Old Gang of Mine"  
  
  
  
REASONS FOR EVERYTHING  
***   
  
Angel turned away from the stage with a smile on his face that was appearing more often when he was around Fred. Fred was on stage again, sitting on the same stool, singing a somewhat timid and softened version of "Stand By Your Man," focusing directly on the screen and not at the people in front of her. Angel could imagine the flashbacks she was having from the last time she was in Caritas. It killed him when he saw Fred clinging with all her might onto Wesley after Gunn's old crew terrorized the place a few days before. Monsters were one thing to handle in Pylea, but humans back on earth were a completely different story.   
  
"How'd you ever convince that little thing to see the light of day again, let alone come back to the club?" Lorne asked, sitting himself next to Angel at the bar.  
  
"It took...a lot," Angel replied with a sigh. "She wants to get back to normal, although in Fred's case, we're not exactly sure what normal is."  
  
"I'm sure it helps that you're here," Lorne said after taking a sip of his sea breeze.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh, don't play the I-have-no-idea-why-any-woman-would-ever-want-me game with me. You know very well that that girl is smitten with you. You don't have to read auras to see that."  
  
Turning his head away from Lorne and the stage, Angel hung his head and stared at the empty glass before him. "I was afraid of that."  
  
"No, you're weren't."  
  
Angel, caught off guard for a moment, quickly raised his eyes to the Host and then to the figure of Fred on the stage. Trying to explain himself would be hard. Stumbling for words, Angel mumbled, "I don't...Fred's...with everything...it's just that..."  
  
"Wanna throw a verb in there some place? It kind of helps to bring meaning to your sentences," Lorne interjected.  
  
"She's nice," he said finally.  
  
"She is indeed. And incredibly important," Lorne added, knowing Angel would be curious.  
  
"Important how?" Angel's interest was piqued even though he was tired of Lorne's mysterious comments.  
  
"You don't think the Powers just sent any ol' vision to Cordy now, do you? There are reasons for everything. They could have sent a vision about anything - a vampire nest downtown, the latest stock tips - they could have sent her a vision about any one of those other slaves in Pylea. But they didn't. They sent her Fred. Which made you go to the library. Which brought Landok to LA. Which brought Cordy to Pylea. Which brought you to Pylea. Well, at least, that's why you think you went there," Lorne finished with a slight grin.  
  
"Are you saying..." Angel had trouble comprehending all the Host was saying.  
  
"The entire trip was because of Fred. The Powers that Be wanted her saved," Lorne said importantly.  
  
Scattered applause from the other patrons interrupted what Angel was about to say as Fred stepped down from the stage helped by Wesley. She glanced quickly toward Angel's direction and waved shyly. She sat down next to Cordelia and peeked her head back to see if Angel was looking. He lifted his hand to wave back.  
  
"Why did the Powers want her saved?" Angel asked turning his attention away from Fred.  
  
"You mean you haven't figured that out yet?" the Host answered back, surprised.  
  
"The Powers aren't exactly what I'd call forthcoming when it comes to Cordy's visions so..."  
  
Lorne stood up and leaned in closely to Angel. With a strange gleam in his eyes, he said quietly, "Angel, she's how you become human."  
  
If he needed air to breathe, he would have had trouble breathing as those words escaped Lorne's mouth. His mind was swimming with so many thoughts and images he thought the room had begun to spin behind me. He grabbed Lorne by the arm as he started to walk away. Angel had to know more.   
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Hey, watch the suit, would ya? I'm about to do a Whitney Houston medley," Lorne said as he retrieved his sleeve from Angel's tight grip.  
  
"You can't just tell me something like that and then walk away! Am I even supposed to know this? I though it would take years before I...if I...I mean, is this going to compromise anything by me knowing?"  
  
"My, aren't we filled with questions tonight." Lorne smiled.  
  
"By telling me this, am I going to..." There was a long pause. "I don't want to use Fred."  
  
"The knight in shining armor rides again, huh?" Noticing Angel's pensive look, the Host got serious. "Don't worry. It's fine that I told you. You're supposed to know sooner or later anyway. Besides, it'll make everything much easier now. And you're not using Fred. You've already protected her with your life - or undead life, I guess - and gave her a home before you knew."  
  
Angel stood up and stared at the table of his friends. Even from this distance, he could see Fred gripping the sides of her chair nervously, barely raising her head to the conversation around her.  
  
"Is that it, because that Dylamtiac demon singing Streisand needs to be put out of his misery?" Lorne asked, eyeing the bored crowd.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," Angel said, dropping his shoulders. "Wait!"  
  
Turning around, the Host raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"  
  
"Does she know...about any of it?"   
  
"No, she has no idea of what's to come. No idea of her amazing destiny. And neither do you."   
  
Lorne smiled again and walked away, leaving a confused Angel alone at the bar. He felt Fred's eyes on him and met her stare. She looked away, but Angel knew she wanted to look back again.  
  
  
  
  



End file.
